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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

After lots of rest / antibiotics (and your thoughtful wishes yesterday), I'm finally starting to feel better - thank God! The silver lining in being sick in bed all weekend was watching the Olympics. There's something so magical about the Olympic games and I especially enjoy watching gymnastics, swimming and diving. What about you? What country are you rooting for? (GoUSA! :)

Monday, July 30, 2012

I hope you had a nice weekend! I'm still recovering from a nasty infection that hit me last Thursday, leaving me with a high fever and feeling flu like all weekend. My mom is coming over today to help with the baby while I work on getting better (thank God for amazing moms, right?!). I should be back to blogging tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm dreaming of lounging in this pool house with a cold drink and a stack of design magazines - heaven!

Friday, July 27, 2012

So far, I've had a pretty great summer. It's been much different this year with a new baby, but we've still managed to do some fun things. We've been to the beach, had family and friends over for barbecues on warm summer nights, and went on our first family vacation (took Luke on an airplane @ 9 weeks and he did great!). Here are a few snippets of how I've been spending my summer days. What have you been up to? Have a wonderful weekend! xo - Julie

{First family vacation to beautiful Bend, Oregon}

{Frequent walks to Starbucks with Luke for iced coffee on hot days}

{Getting Luke to smile and baby talk back to me - we have so much fun!}

Thursday, July 26, 2012

What is it about an all white kitchen that gets us so excited? Every time I post a picture of a white kitchen on my blog (like the one in yesterday's post), the response is overwhelming! So why do we love the white kitchen? I have a few theories: much like a crisp white tablecloth at a restaurant, the white kitchen is clean and fresh and makes you want to sit down to enjoy a delicious meal; prepping and cooking on a crisp white surface is enticing; everything looks good against white - a bowl of fresh lemons, colorful bottles of olive oil, a vase of bright pink peonies, metallic light fixtures, gold accessories...it all works! I'm guessing they may take a little more maintenance to keep sparkly clean, but I don't think I'd mind. What do you love about white kitchens?

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

If I could escape to a serene vacation home every weekend, this would be it! Valerie McMurray, the founder of Soleil Organique, a luxury suncare line that has been named the must-have product of the summer, has a gorgeous place on Shelter Island that was just re-done by interior designer Cynthia Walker. The home is fresh and bright with simple elegance. With all white walls in every space, accents such as the dark wood beams and touches of seafoam green really stand out. I could easily spend warm summer days lounging around and relaxing in the beautiful home, couldn't you?!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

When it comes to designing a space, it's always fun to throw in something vintage or antique to add character and interest. How many of you enjoy shopping flea markets or estate sales for hidden treasures?! I sure do! Unfortunately, I don't always have the time to scour sales on the weekends...which is why I absolutely adore the online shop Relique. The team at Relique shops all over the world for unique pieces to bring directly to you, many of which are salvaged, repurposed and / or recycled by artisans.

Let me tell you, their selection of amazing accessories has my head spinning! I especially like using vintage accents when I'm decorating bookcases. Interesting objects from the past look fantastic mixed with stacks of books and new accessories. Salvaged wooden crates are also a staple decorating item of mine - they're perfect for planting out and placing on a large cocktail table or as stylish storage for a home office or craft room. What do you look for when shopping for vintage / vintage inspired decor? Check out some of my favorite discoveries from Relique...

Vintage and repurposed furniture, wall decor and lighting are also fun to incorporate into interiors. I'm loving the yellow Tolix-style Steel Garden Chair (shown above). Wouldn't it be fun to place several of these around a wooden table in a kitchen nook? And the Westwood Lane metal sign?! Love it. Click here to shop Relique and discover some of your own favorite treasures...and be sure to take advantage of the exclusive discount they're offering all Belle Maison readers!

*This post has been sponsored by Relique, a Premiere Sponsor on Belle Maison. All thoughts, opinions and product selections are my own!
xo - Julie

Friday, July 20, 2012

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I decided to do a small make-over on my living room and asked you for some advice on what to do above my sofa. Several of you had some great suggestions and after much deliberation, I decided to go with an over-sized sunburst mirror. After that decision was made, I ordered a chevron rug (a pattern I'm OBSESSED with) and it was just delivered. Now I'm stuck again and desperately need your input! If this were a client or friend's apartment, I'd have it designed in a minute...but since it's my own home, I'm left completely clueless (see this quote to know exactly what I'm talking about). My dilemma? What color scheme should I go with? I have a blue accent wall that I have to work with, which kind of limits the direction I can go. See all the details below and let me know your thoughts! Your input is greatly appreciated.

3. Existing accent wall color that I have to work with (I've already painted it twice!)

{The coffee table is fairly new and will be staying...it just needs some new accessories}

I had a bunch of fabrics in my design library so I threw them on the sofa to try and get some ideas. All it did was leave me more confused. I really do love the Trina Turk fabric (blue & green print seen in the corner of the sofa), but does it work?

I always gravitate toward blue and green - those are my "go-to" colors that I never tire of. But I'm also loving coral these days and think it pairs nicely with blue and gray. Oh, what to do? Thanks for any advice you have! I'll keep you posted on my progress. Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend. xoxo - Julie

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Today you can find me over at Tobi Fairley's blog as a guest for a series she's doing called Expert Advice. Tobi, one of my fave designers, has asked all kinds of interesting people to share some of the best advice or inspiration they've received. I feel so honored to have been included! Click here to take a look.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Juggling life, work and family is no easy feat, especially with a
2 1/2 month old attached to my hip 24-7 (good thing he's so darn adorable)! I'm taking a break from the blog today so I can focus on a few hundred other things ;) See you tomorrow. xoxo

This beautiful living room was designed by Maria Barros and is like a breath of fresh air, isn't it? LOVE!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Color inspiration is everywhere! This is one of my favorite posts to do, especially because I love fashion and often turn to it for color palette ideas. The ensemble featured today is from J.Crew's Summer /Spring 2012 line and while it's not exactly something I'd wear, it's an interesting color palette and the handbag is what really makes the entire look pop. The same goes for the home - sometimes it's that unexpected punch of color that pulls the entire space together. Where do you find color inspiration?!

Friday, July 13, 2012

Summer is a wonderful time to make colorful, fresh salads with seasonal produce, especially from your local farmer's market. On super HOT days, I love whipping up a big salad for lunch or dinner. But lately, I've been making the same 2 or 3 salads I always make and decided it's time to find some new recipes. Here are several that I can't wait to try! What about you? Do you enjoy salad in the summer? Any other recipes you'd like to share? Happy Friday and have a lovey weekend. xoxo - Julie

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belle maison is french for "beautiful home." as an interior designer, i started this blog to catalog my finds, hoping to inspire others by sharing fabulous resources, articles and photographs. enjoy and please visit again!
xo - julie thigpen